Unlike the discrete manufacturing in 1980’s, the operations now in the manufacturing industries are continuously run round the clock and throughout the year. So, the objective for the operations is to extend the unattended time that machines run. The primary objective is to reduce the frequency of operator intervention during production. How long a process can run unattended depends on the complexity of operation. Sometimes we can extend unattended time by enough preplanning of the processes to reduce intervention. To be successful, it takes a dedicated, systematic approach with continuous improvement and analysis of every activity individually. This helps us to understand the micro details to eliminate the human effort in and around it.
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'Future of Manufacturing'
The advancements of the current industrial revolution are reducing the gap between the digital, physical and biological spheres of the global manufacturing systems. Most of the industrial giants have been redefining and transforming their policy initiatives. We can see significant increase in drive to automation competitiveness even among countries. Indian government initiatives such as Make-in-India, is projected that by 2022 only advanced manufacturing will account from 15 to 25% of its total GDP. We also see China investing on its initiative Made-in-China 2025 with investing more than $3 billion in high technology manufacturing and Europe investing more than $7 billion in the factories of the future. Manufacturers are always looking of the ways to get some competitive edge.
Currently there are five technologies that are key to shape the future of manufacturing: Internet of things (IOT), Artificial intelligence (AI), 3D printing, Advanced robotics and Augmented reality (Advanced robotics). Without the help of these technologies the future of manufacturing cannot be operated unattended. However, the technologies such as AI and AR are still in their early phases but the later are already hitting the mainstream. The question is, it is not whether the companies are going to use these technologies, but how fast can they adopt. I believe that the businesses which adopt early and take courage in leaping into this new technology will be rewarded and all others will be left far behind.
